The overall objectives of is to Improve the quality and quantity of cancer research at the University of Oklahoma Hearth Sciences Center (OUHSC), to increase NIH funding in Oklahoma through the mentoring of promising junior investigators (PJIs) and to develop support for the infrastructure for cancer research, this COBRE grant will greatly strengthen cancer research in Oklahoma and enhance the research base, infrastructure, and core capacities of the Cancer Center. The focused and structured mentoring experience that the COBRE grant supports will be a determinative influence helping PJIs achieve independent national funding. Finally, as has been seen on campus in the areas of Vision, Diabetes, Dental Sciences and Microbial Pathogenesis, the CoBRE grant will help accelerate the development of the Cancer Center as it progresses towards a submitting a competitive NCI Cancer Center Support Grant application. The Specific Aims of this CBRE application are: 1. To mentor promising junior investigators (PJIs) In cancer research, enabling them to become independent NIH-funded investigators. Four PJIs have been selected. Each has been assigned a mentor and a co-mentor who are established cancer researchers in Oklahoma with expertise related to the PJI's project. The four PJIs have diverse but related projects that are integrated under the overall theme of Tumor Biology: Resistance to Cancer Therapy and Mitigating Strategies. 2. To establish and develop research infrastructure to support cancer research, optimize the research environment for the PJIs, and form a core resource for the developing Stephenson Oklahoma Cancer Center. Four shared Cores will be established in this COBRE to assist the PJI projects and to serve the cancer research community in Oklahoma. 3. To foster and enhance collaborations between basic scientists and clinicians, and to facilitate translational research directed toward the development of new diagnostics and treatments for cancer.